American Airlines honors Kansas City mechanic for 50 years of service

American Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are honoring an elite mechanic for five decades of service in the airline industry.

On Thursday, July 29, the FAA will present James Davis, an inspector at American's Kansas City Maintenance & Engineering base in Missouri, with the prestigious Charles E. Taylor Award, which recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics. This award honors Charles Taylor, who not only worked for the Wright Brothers, but also was the first aviation mechanic in powered flight.

To be eligible for the award, a recipient must have served 50 years as an accredited aviation mechanic and have been an FAA-certified mechanic for a minimum of 30 years.

"Everyone knows the Wright Brothers invented powered flight. The third man was Charles Taylor, a quiet man and a mechanical genius who was instrumental in getting the Wright Flyer into the air," said Dan Teters, American's director of base maintenance, Kansas City. "For the past 50 years, James Davis has served as a living example of Charles Taylor's dedication to man's ability to fly. His exemplary work has set the bar high for future generations of aviation mechanics."

Davis, a member of the Transport Workers Union, began his aviation career when he entered the Air Force in 1960. He spent 35 years with TWA and nine years with American Airlines.